1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to element management in hybrid fiber cable (“HFC”) networks and, more particularly, to detecting nodal connections that define an RF signal path in a field configurable, multi-module HFC network.
2. Background Information
Element management systems in HFC networks are generally known in the art. Element management systems, among other things, report to the end user how nodes within the system are configured. For example, it is often desirable to know what components are in place at a node, if those components are operating properly, and the signal path through the node.
Some HFC networks must adhere to the Hybrid Management Sublayer (“HMS”) element management standard, which requires that the signal path from input to output of a node must be reported to the element management system of the HFC network. In conventional, non-reconfigurable HFC networks, the configuration of individual nodes does not change. That is, the components which make up each node are always in the same location, and a user is unable to change the configuration of a node in the field. Therefore, the signal paths through and within that node always remain the same. Thus, information about an individual node in a non-reconfigurable system may be hard coded or hard wired (i.e., permanently connected), such that the element management system for the HFC network always knows the status, configuration and/or signal path in that node. As a result, non-reconfigurable HFC networks do not have difficulty meeting the HMS signal path requirement since the node configuration reported to the element management system never changes.
In some HFC networks, however, it is desirable to use reconfigurable nodes. A reconfigurable node allows the user to interchange the components which comprise the node to effect various nodal connections between two or more points on either side of the node. A field reconfigurable fiber node includes RF plug-ins which a user or technician can install, remove or replace according to the desired nodal configuration. However, to remain HMS compliant, an HFC network with reconfigurable nodes must be able to report the signal path through the to the element management system, even when the node configuration changes. Since the node configuration may change in the field, hard wiring the node configuration to the element management system is not possible. Thus, there is a need to develop a field reconfigurable node for an HFC network which is also HMS compliant.